Students from Holy Name School in Kingston are spending the week learning at the Agnes Etherington Art Centre.

It’s all a part of an initiative known as “Beyond Classrooms”.

Taking what they’ve learned here — and putting that knowledge into practise here. These grade 6 and 7 students are going “beyond classrooms” — making masks at the Agnes Etherington Art Centre.

“There’s hands-on activities, there’s time in the gallery, there’s time for journaling, we have nosey time, we have quite time — time for reflection. ”

The “Beyond Classrooms” program is more than a day trip — it’s a whole week outside of the traditional classroom setting — a chance to move into community spaces and learn.

“If you went on a field trip here you would be rushing all over the place but since we’re here for a week we get to slow down and take our time and see everything we want to see.”

“We’re here in a different learning environment and we actually get to see everything that they’re talking about instead of the teacher just telling-us and then there’s just one picture or two pictures.”

“With the research that was done in Calgary with “Campus Calgary” and “Open Minds”, they have shown that through the journaling and the slowing down of learning there’s an increase in literacy skills, writing skills have increased, reading skills have increased and the ability to reflect and to verbalize those reflections have increased as well.”

The “Beyond Classrooms” program is an initiative of the Kingston Association of Museums, Art Galleries and Historic Sites — and this marks the first time for the Art Centre’s participation.

“Not all of these children are going to become artists but they can certainly become involved with culture and visit museums and galleries and other cultural venues as young adults and adults and that’s really important.”,

Next-up for beyond classrooms — Kingston City Hall and the Marine Museum.

Mike Postovit, CKWS Newswatch, Kingston
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